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Windows doesnt let you batch uninstall apps.
But the default Windows uninstall manager is not the only way to remove apps from your PC.
Everything the Default Windows Uninstaller Cant Do
Uninstalling apps on Windowscan be a mess.
And it boils down to a single reason: Windows doesnt uninstall your apps.
Your apps uninstall themselves.
Heres what that means.
Windows makes the app developers responsible for creating uninstallers for their apps.
Thats why theres no universal way to delete apps on Windows.
App developers often create uninstallers that leave traces and files behind on your machine.
Windows doesntsandbox apps, so sometimes files are left behind because they were shared with another app.
Even if an uninstaller works, its not foolproof.
Uninstallers can go missing, throw system errors, or become corrupted.
And apps can stick around on your drive and in theWindows Registrywithout showing up on the programs list.
Windows has no way to force uninstall an app.
Thats why ghost apps often show up with leftover files when you search for their name.
For that exact reason, the built-in uninstall manager on Windows cant remove apps in bulk.
First, it tries to detect the uninstaller for every app on every disk.
The default detection system is also pretty limited.
The default uninstall manager only detected 81 uninstallers on my PC, but a third-party app found 163.
That third-party app is Bulk Crap Uninstaller (BCU).
It does what the Windows uninstall manager cantwhich is quietly uninstalling multiple apps and cleaning up the leftovers.
To install it using the setup file, open theBulk Crap Uninstaller GitHubor theofficial website.
you’ve got the option to download the installer directly from GitHub or indirectly from SourceForge or FossHub.
Theres also a portable version that runs without installing on your disk.
Once downloaded, double-grab the setup and follow the onscreen instructions to complete the installation.
If you haveWingetenabled on your Windows, I highly recommend installing using the command line.
bang out the following command and hit Enter.
BCU will be automatically installed.
How to Mass Uninstall Apps
Before you begin, I recommend creating aSystem Restore point.
Click Tools on the BCU menu bar and select Create a New System Restore Point.
Wait for BCU to autocomplete the process, and youre ready to bulk uninstall your programs.
For the most part, you dont need to worry about what the colors mean.
But keep an eye out for apps highlighted with orange or gray.
These apps might not show up in the built-in Windows uninstall manager.
Gray apps have missing uninstallers which BCU will give a shot to replace.
Once again, you wont need to worry about filtering apps unless you have a lot of installed apps.
Normal Uninstall
Uninstalling multiple apps is pretty straightforward.
You scroll through the list and go for the apps you want to remove.
And then click Uninstall on the top menu.
Click Continue to confirm.
On the next screen, you might decide how BCU handles the uninstallation job.
BCU will automate the uninstallation process, so you dont have to interact with the uninstallation wizards.
Double-check the info listed and click Begin Uninstallation.
Youll get a dialog box to delete each app.
Just click Delete every time and then Close.
Before wrapping up the task, BCU will ask permission to check for leftover files.
Click Yes and BCU will scan any junk files that the uninstallers missed.
Itll line up the files for you to delete manually.
Once again, opt for apps you want to remove, but this time click Uninstall Quietly.
double-check youve selected the right apps and click Continue twice.
And then hit Begin Uninstallation.
It automatically deletes the apps without further input from you.
Once again, you might launch the scan for cleaning up leftovers from the uninstallations and click Delete Selected.
BCU will report failed quiet uninstallations in the logs.
But what about junk files that were already there before you got BCU?
you’re free to remove them too, using BCU.
Click Tools and select Clean Up Program Files Folder.
It generates a list of files and folders that you could safely delete from your disk.
BCU sorts them with a confidence rating.
Files that BCU isnt sure about are left unselected.
And I recommend you dont select them either.
Double-check the selection to confirm everything looks good and click Delete Selected.
That shouldtidy up the disk.
Strictly speaking, you dont have toremove leftover files.They dont break any functionality.
But over the years, they might take up enough space on your disk to start slowing things down.
Now you never have to sit through the tedious job of manually removing Windows apps using the control panel.
